October 1

This Day in History

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Lead Story
Yosemite National Park established, 1890
American Revolution
Patriots learn of increased French support, 1776
Automotive
Ford Motor Company unveils the Model T, 1908
Civil War
Rose Greenhow dies, 1864
Cold War
Mao Zedong proclaims People's Republic of China, 1949
Mikhail Gorbachev becomes head of Supreme Soviet, 1988
Crime
A 12-year-old girl is kidnapped, 1993
Disaster
Earthquake rocks Southern California, 1987
General Interest
Lawrence of Arabia captures Damascus, 1918
Franco heads Spain, 1936
Nazi war criminals sentenced at Nuremberg, 1946
Suharto crushes Indonesian coup, 1965
Terrorists strike again in Bali, 2005
Hollywood
Johnny Carson makes debut as Tonight Show host, 1962
Literary
First installment of Madame Bovary is published, 1856
Music
Scientific American reports that radio will soon be used to transmit music to the home, 1920
Old West
Congress creates Yosemite National Park, 1890
Presidential
Jimmy Carter is born, 1924
Sports
Roger Maris breaks home-run record, 1961
Vietnam War
South Vietnam requests a bilateral defense treaty, 1961
World War I
Crisis in Germany, 1918
World War II
Experiments begin on homosexuals at Buchenwald, 1944

Cold War

Oct 1, 1988:

Mikhail Gorbachev becomes head of Supreme Soviet

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Having forced the resignation of Soviet leader Andrei Gromyko, Mikhail Gorbachev names himself head of the Supreme Soviet. Within two years, he was named "Man of the Decade" by Time magazine for his role in bringing the Cold War to a close. Beginning in 1985, when he became general secretary of the Communist Party in the USSR, Gorbachev moved forward to both liberalize the Soviet economy (perestroika) and political life (glasnost), as well as decrease tensions with the United States. By late 1991, the Soviet Union was moving toward dissolution, and Gorbachev retired from office in December 1991.

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This Week in History, Oct 1 - Oct 7

Oct 01, 1949
Mao Zedong proclaims People's Republic of China
Oct 01, 1988
Mikhail Gorbachev becomes head of Supreme Soviet
Oct 02, 1958
The Cold War comes to Africa, as Guinea gains its independence
Oct 03, 1990
East and West Germany reunite after 45 years
Oct 04, 1957
Soviet Union launches Sputnik I
Oct 05, 1986
Iran-Contra scandal unravels
Oct 06, 1973
The Yom Kippur War brings United States and USSR to brink of conflict
Oct 07, 1960
Kennedy and Nixon debate Cold War foreign policy

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